WHAT IS SHAKESPEARE REPUBLIC ALL ABOUT?

Shakespeare Republicis a web series that celebrates not just the world’s greatest playwright, but also his insightful understanding of the big issues of his time. Insights that still hold relevance today and form the basis for a truly diverse, inventive and epic journey into the nature of being human.

Built on the premise of taking a selection of Shakespeare monologues and making them more accessible to modern audiences by setting each piece in a contemporary situation, our first season in 2015 included Hamlet as Media Advisor to a Government Minister, Juliet as a gay man in a Skype conversation, Phebe as an entitled Gen Y drunk texting, Macbeth as a politician about to metaphorically knife an opponent, a female Hamlet weary from the corporate cut and thrust and a performance of Sonnet 18 as a eulogy.

Now, in 2016 the team is returning to the screen for Season Two - with more actors, more crew and more Shakespeare!

Brainchild of award-winning Director/Producer, Sally McLean and filmed by award-winning Cinematographer, Shaun Herbertson, with a highly experienced crew with a combined total of over 170 professional credits to their names, Season Two is an innovative and exciting ride through the works of William Shakespeare, featuring an international cast and a lot of love for the Bard.

Get to know some more about Shakespeare Republic, meet the Season One cast and hear about the idea behind Shakespeare Republic by watching the above video.

TO ENGAGE NEW AUDIENCESwith Shakespeare’s works through the use of “bite-sized” pieces of text, that reduce the anxiety many feelaround attending a full Shakespeare play, thereby introducing new audiences to the work who might not otherwise engage;

TO EDUCATE AND ENTERTAIN MODERN AUDIENCES ABOUT THEIR WORLDusing Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre text; and

CHALLENGE THE CONCEPT OF “TRADITIONAL” SHAKESPEARE,while still remaining true to his original text and ideas.